Man arrested and charged for animal cruelty

December 2, 2009 12:00:00 AM PST

FRAZIER PARK, Calif. --

A Frazier Park man was arrested on animal cruelty charges for allegedly abandoning puppies by the side of the road in the Los Padres National Forest Monday.A Ventura County resident noticed a man leaving puppies on the roadside at Lockwood Valley Road, west of Mill Canyon. He confronted the man who then retrieved the puppies and drove away. The resident was able to get his vehicle's license number.

He also located one of the puppies which had been left behind.

A Kern County sheriff's deputy later spotted the truck, and stopped it. There were no puppies inside.

The witness identified the truck driver as the man who had been abandoning the puppies. He is 27-year-old Mario Cedillo of Frazier Park.

Cedillo was arrested on felony animal cruelty charges, and booked into the Ventura County Jail.

The following day, deputies were notified that a Cuddy Valley resident had found seven abandoned puppies at the end of Cherry Creek Camp road. They are believed to be the same puppies seen with Cedillo the previous day.

The puppies were turned over to Ventura County Animal Regulation in serious condition.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department encourages anyone who is having trouble caring for animals to contact the local Animal Regulation or Humane Society for assistance.